Justin Gaethje has too many highlights to count.

UFC 300 didn’t go according to plan for the former BMF champion. Gaethje, 35, entered the historic event as the first titleholder of that belt to defend the title. Unfortunately for him, Max Holloway had other plans, providing the world with one of the most incredible MMA moments you’ll ever see.

The former featherweight champion Holloway opened as a sizable +225 underdog for the matchup before closing at +125 odds to Gaethje’s -185 per Best Fight Odds. Once the fight started, it quickly became apparent that the oddsmakers got the numbers wrong as Holloway controlled the action and never let up. For Gaethje, he has nothing but praise about the “Blessed” performance.

“My game plan wasn’t necessarily the correct game plan, but that’s always something you can know after the fact,” Gaethje said on Anik & Florian (h/t MMA Knockout). “I think he fought an amazing fight, and he was very precise and perfect that night, and that was a very tough Max Holloway to beat.”

Holloway, 32, picked the lightweight contender apart for the better part of the first four rounds, losing only the fourth on the judges’ scorecards. In round five, you know what happened. After another strong round, Holloway did Holloway things by literally throwing down at the 10-second mark with the “Highlight,” resulting in an epic last-second knockout.

Gaethje hasn’t committed to any specific timeline for his return. With plenty of time to reflect on his fifth career loss (25-5), he just knows what he’d have changed against Holloway.

“I think I would have pressured more,” Gaethje said. “I would have tried to move forward and fight at not. I thought he would come to me, and then when he did come, it was far between, where it was so unpredictable and fast that I could, I didn’t see it or find it.

“If I would have been inside, and like I did in the fourth round, similar to the fourth round, only round that I for sure think I won. I moved forward. I was trying to step on his feet and, yeah, I think that was the way that I had to fight that fight, at least from the second round on.”

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LET’S WATCH

UFC Journey: Amanda Lemos.

Crossover.

Full fight.

Super RIZIN 3: Pacquiao vs. Anpo trailer.

UFC 304 fight camps.

LISTEN UP

Heck of a Morning. MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck discusses if Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler will happen in 2024.

MORNING MUSIC

Go to Twitter, use the #MorningReport hashtag, or find one of my tweets with it, and drop me a jam you’re currently really into. I’ll pick the best one alongside my daily choice and give you a shoutout! You can also share in the comments below — those are just harder to sift through sometimes!

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Brad.

Then to now.

Holidays.

Peace.

Doinked.

Classic

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Reinier de Ridder (16-2) vs. Magomedmurad Khasaev (6-1); UAE Warriors 52, July 27

Biaggio Ali Walsh (1-0) vs. Korey Taylor (4-0); PFL Hollywood, Aug. 16

Yan Qihui (25-4) vs. Danni McCormack (8-2); Road to UFC, Aug. 23

Wang Cong (5-0) vs. Victoria Leonardo (9-5); UFC Vegas 96, Aug. 24

Andre Petroski (11-4) vs. Dylan Budka (7-3); UFC Vegas 97, Sept. 7

Rafa García (16-3) vs. Grant Dawson (21-2-1); UFC Fight Night, Oct. 12

FINAL THOUGHTS

It feels like Gaethje is in such a weird spot after the loss. I don’t really know what’s “perfect” or most realistic for him, but whoever it is, we’ll all happily watch.

Thanks for reading!

EXIT POLL

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